"I need 20 professional mercenaries who are highly skilled for an operation, just for one day. Can you handle that?" Ivan said, getting straight to the point.
"Yes, we can. Though, may I ask what you need them for?" Zayin asked, trying to gather some information about the operation.
"I need them for a private operation. Also, what will be the total cost?" Ivan replied, keeping the details to himself and closing the case professionally.
"The total cost would be approximately $30,000 for the 20 mercenaries, and $15,000 more for the equipment and weapons," Zayin said, a professional smile spreading across his face.
'It's costly... but if this operation goes smoothly, then I don't mind... I've already gathered $1M over the last 8 years, so just $45k isn't much for me,' Ivan thought.
"That's alright with me... Can I pay some in advance now and then pay the rest after the work is done?" Ivan asked.
"Yes, that's acceptable." Saying that, Ivan stood up, followed by Zayin. They shook hands and then left, the deal successfully handled.
###
[3 hours later...]
[Inside M.Video Store.]
Ivan could be seen near a display case, looking at a small pair of binoculars that were just the right size for him.
'A pair of binoculars... I need one to spy on their main house... since the day that I'm going to settle everything is coming soon,' Ivan thought, his hand on his chin as he stood in a thoughtful pose.
He extended his hand, picked up the binoculars he had been eyeing, and inspected them.
'This is quite good... and something that'll be handy,' he thought before heading toward the cashier.
"I'll be buying this. How much?" Ivan asked, his tone cold as he placed the binoculars on the counter in front of the cashier.
"Good choice, sir! These binoculars are a new high-end model that was just released yesterday. This is the Leica Ultravid 10x42, the most high-end and high-quality binoculars available on the market," the cashier said, explaining everything about the binoculars even though Ivan hadn't asked for it.
"So... how much?" Ivan asked once again, his tone cold as always.
"Only 6,000 RUB," the cashier said with a professional smile.
'Damn, 6K rubles just for binoculars?'
'I really need a high-quality one... I guess I can't be stingy...' Ivan thought as he took out 6,000 RUB from his pocket and handed it to the cashier, who accepted it with a happy smile.
"Thank you for your purchase," the cashier said with a happy smile, and Ivan nodded his head before heading out of the shop.
'Now... I need to go to Sibirskaya... since that's the area where the Vorontsov's main family resides...' Ivan thought as soon as he was outside the shop.
'But... I don't have my driver today... since I'm going to do some shady stuff, I didn't bring my driver... sigh* I guess I have to take a taxi there... and it would take me hours if I went there on foot since the distance to Sibirskaya from Gorskiy, where I am, is about 6 to 7 miles away...'
'Guess I'll need to take a taxi.' With that thought, he looked around for any taxis, but he didn't have to look far because there was a GAZ-24 Volga, the car that most taxi drivers use.
The GAZ-24 Volga has a boxy, classic sedan shape. It features a large chrome grille and rectangular headlights at the front. The car's sides are smooth with large windows, and the rear has square tail lights and a simple trunk. It sits on steel wheels with hubcaps. Inside, it is spacious and practical, often used as a taxi or government car.
Ivan then walked toward it and knocked on the driver's side window, which slowly rolled down.
"Hello, can you take me to Sibirskaya?" Ivan asked, opening the door to the backseat.
"Sure, no problem. Just hop in." The driver said with a smile, and Ivan got into the car's back seat.
"How long will it take?" Ivan asked while sitting comfortably in the backseat.
"About 30 or 40 minutes if the traffic is good," the driver said as he started the car and began driving to Sibirskaya.
...
[40 minutes later...]
[3:41 PM]
[Sibirskaya.]
As Ivan got out of the Volga, he paid the driver before he started to walk toward the estate of the Vorontsov family.
'I think it was somewhere near here...' Ivan thought, looking at the buildings. There were hardly any; only about 5 or 6, each spaced far apart.
'Ah, yeah, I remember, just straight and then left,' Ivan thought before walking in a straight line. When he reached a crossroad, he took a left turn. After some time walking, he finally saw a large estate and a 7-story building.
'That must be the Vorontsov family estate,' Ivan thought with a small laugh before quickening his pace and entering the 7-story building that was still under construction and not yet open to the public.
Since no one was around, he walked straight to the stairs and ran up to the 7th floor.
...
"Ha..ha...ha..." Ivan took deep breaths, as running up to the 7th floor from the 1st floor was still enough to make him short of breath.
"Then, let's get down to work... ha...ha," Ivan said, taking deep breaths in between, before he walked to a spot where he could see the Vorontsov estate clearly.
Using the binoculars, he could see a lot of bodyguards, mostly about 8 or 9, walking inside the garden and near the front gate.
"So... a total of 9 bodyguards... it wouldn't be a problem for a sniper like me... but only if there's someone to distract them and take out a few," Ivan muttered as he shifted his attention to another garden where 5 more people were patrolling, holding heavy rifles like AK-47s.
"Only 5... that'll be a piece of cake... kekeke, getting inside won't be too much of a problem. I can see myself and the other mercenaries handling it if I make a clear and complex plan," Ivan muttered. As he was about to head back, he saw a man wearing nothing but boxers entering the second garden, just behind the estate, with some beautiful women behind him.
Seeing him, Ivan's blood boiled, his heartbeat rising, and his right eye turning slightly red as he gritted his teeth.
"Andrei..." Ivan muttered with deep hatred.
"Enjoy all you want... because the day you're going to die is coming soon... just wait 3 more days... in the meantime, enjoy all you want because your time is about to be up," Ivan said, his tone so cold it could send chills down anyone's spine if they heard it.
"Ha.. calm down, Ivan!! Calm down! Getting angry and emotional about such things will make me pay a huge price."
"Take a deep breath, Ivan. Take a deep breath," he muttered, taking in a deep breath, holding it for a second, and exhaling.
'I should head back now... I've already mapped out how to enter the estate, so my job is done... now I just have to wait... wait a bit more,' Ivan thought before heading back.
###
[3 days later...]
[7:00 AM]
[Warehouse.]
In the warehouse area of Gorskiy, where not many people walked, inside the warehouse...
Twenty muscular men stood in four lines, with one more person standing in front of them.
He was a young man, 6'1" in height, with his face covered by a black ski mask. A vertical scar could be seen through the hole in the mask.
He wore a sleek black tactical suit with a body armor vest underneath. His black combat pants and sturdy boots were complemented by tactical gloves. A black ski mask concealed his face, completing the look with a blend of stealth and protection.
Everyone in the warehouse wore the same outfit, and a serious aura surrounded them.
"I've already explained the plan, right? Does anyone have any questions?" Ivan asked, his tone loud as he looked at everyone with a serious, cold gaze.
"No, Sir!!" they all replied in unison, their voices echoing in the warehouse.
"Good. If you've memorized the plan, that's great. I don't know how many of you will make it back safely, but I promise you all that if one of you dies, I'll compensate your family so they can live the rest of their lives in peace," Ivan said, his tone serious, and most of them let out a sigh of relief.
That was the thing troubling them the most after hearing the plan and learning how many experienced guards there would be.
"Alright then, get inside the bulletproof vans parked outside. I don't want any failure," Ivan said in his loud and cold tone.
"Yes, Sir!!" they all shouted before going out of the warehouse and getting inside the six sleek, black vans.
###
A/N: My boi, ivan finally start his revenge. Haha, and now, just 2 or 3 more chapter to go and we'll be finished with the backstory: revenge arc and move on to the cultivation realm arc.